UB Celebrates: 35th Anniversary of New Edition’s ‘Heart Break’

New Edition is one of the most popular and successful R&B groups of the ’80s till modern day.

“Heart Break,” unlike any other New Edition album was a turning point in their careers. The album was released 35 years ago today on June 20th, 1988.

The album was released on the same day, as group member Bobby Brown‘s biggest selling album “Don’t Be Cruel.”

With this project, Ralph Tresvant, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe, added the vocally dynamic Johnny Gill, who in joining the unit filled a slot left vacant two years prior by Bobby Brown.

At the time, all four members told Billboard; that both the addition of Johnny Gill and working with Jam & Lewis signified a new beginning.

This group is now tighter than ever,” stated Ralph. “Johnny was the touch we needed to put new life into the group. I wouldn’t so much call it a change as an evolution. We’re all between 20 and 21 years old now. That’s given us a different look, and musically, from this point forward, we are what you hear on our records. This will probably be New Edition’s biggest album to date.”

Ralph‘s statement would prove to be right!

“We always did like the five-man look,” Ralph continued. “It took some real adjusting getting used to four, especially on stage. When we decided to add a new member, JG made the most sense. He could sing, move, and he was already on MCA.”

Johnny Gill, had a solo deal with two previous releases and was working on a debut MCA album with producers L.A. & Babyface, Jam and Lewis as well as Brian Loren. The album would later be released under Motown, after New Edition disbanded in 1990.

“Heart Break” produced a set of unforgettable songs, a string of Top Ten Hits that ushered in the New Jack era in music.

The double platinum release, was the first time NE teamed the unit with super producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The album spawned the hits, “If It Isn’t Love,” “You’re Not My Kind Of Girl” and the classic “Can You Stand The Rain.”

“Can You Stand The Rain” sold over 750,000 copies & remained on Billboard’s R&B charts for over 18 weeks.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis spurred an even more mature sound on 1988’s “Heart Break.” Four other songs also did great on the charts; “If It Isn’t Love” (#2 R&B/Top 10 pop), “You’re Not My Kind Of Girl” (#3 R&B), “Crucial” (#4 R&B) and “N.E. Heart Break” (Top 20 R&B).

The video for “N.E. Heart Break” was directed by Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Featuring appearances by Heavy D & The Boyz, Shanice Wilson, The Boys, Robert Townsend, Rob Stone, and manager Brooke Payne.

The “N.E. Heart Break” Tour featured Bobby Brown and Al B. Sure!

“Heart Break” was recorded in six months at Jam & Lewis’ Minneapolis Flyte Tyme studio. Out of the album’s 10 songs, two were written and co-produced by the group with Jam & Lewis.

“Jam & Lewis gave us the opportunity to contribute,” Ronnie DeVoe stated. “They invited us to write, put us in the studio with some Flyte Tyme cats, and then came in and tightened it all up. People ask, ‘How can anyone co-produce with Jam & Lewis?’ But they were open.”

Jimmy Jam stated that he and Terry Lewis came into the picture in November 1987. “Jheryl Busby gave us the project and said, ‘Run with it, and by the way, Johnny Gill’s in the group, too.’ At that point, we already had tracks for two songs. Johnny Gill’s addition caused us to rethink our ideas.”

Terry Lewis added that he and Jimmy Jam then wanted to avoid any internal roadblocks. He stated, “We sat them down and said to both the group and Johnny Gill, ‘Do you know what’s happening here? You’re both a unit. Do you know what each of you are gaining and giving up?’ We made it clear that we didn’t want to be in the middle. They said they understood, and once we started cutting it was like clockwork. In the end, the project comes through as a New Edition record, not a Jam & Lewis project.”

That project set the stage for their solo projects at heady, rapid-fire succession.

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane with “Heart Break!”